100 comments:

Good morning, c.c. and gang - c.c., I agree, a very enjoyable puzzle. Got faked out on a couple clues, such as 'no longer on deck' (I was thinking 'below'), and 'Wolverine's group' (was thinking of the NBA team).

Well, that was different. Just interesting enough to keep me giong back and forth till all was filled.I think 47a should have something to indicate a shortened form of the UKElele. Although it's not an abbreviation it is a short form.Don't really understand why the "B" clues are LITERALLY?I wanted so badly to put in "SECOND LETTER", but it wasn't right. Maybe better clued as "B WORDS"But, all in all a great xword. Have we seen these constructors before? They sound vaguely familiar.CC, Did you peel again today. You know about the dangers of sharp instruments in the hands of a DF!!!CY'all later.

Dennis,Regarding your post @3:18pm yesterday, can you explain to me what exactly is "Sort of a 'tab A, slot B' approach"?

Bill,Yes, I peeled nectarines again, very carefully, like the way I coddle eggs. I simply cannot eat fruits with their skins on. Yes, we've done 6 Bushmans' puzzles since I started blogging. The theme title is "B, literally" because every theme entry is literally a letter B. Take BRITISH OPEN for example. The beginning or rather the OPEN for word BRITISH is letter B. See it?

Good morning.Only 7 minutes. Nice puzzle.I am eating crow for breakfast.Had sign post instead of mile post for awhile and had Hamm spelled wrong (two a's instead of two m's). Fixed them quickly and moved on.Nice flowers, C.C.When I had a garden back in NE I grew brussels sprouts. Got way too many of them.

Today is POW/MIA Recognition Day (National, US) - Observed each year on the third Friday of September. It is also Talk Like A Pirate Day - Observed September 19th every year.

I thought this was the day I was going to crash and burn, but it turned out alright at the end. I must have been too sleepy when I came to the computer this morning, because I got about eight clues on my first run through the across clues. I thought today was payoff for so many easy puzzles this week. I solved most of the puzzle through the perps.

If you wanted to be really picky, 'slender reed' is a bit off for OBOE. It's a double reed, but I'm not in the mood to quibble about it.

I want some of Mia Hamm's energy! She's just amazing.

The FLOWER pictures are beautiful, C.C. No wonder China can't choose a national flower.

"LOLA" was a blast from the past! I played the entire clip, and bobbed along with it.

SETH Thomas was a famous clock maker. I think we have a metronome from his company.

I'm always looking for a way to prepare Brussels Sprouts so that I can sneak them past Dear Husband without too much furor.

I think I may have seen "From The Terrace" ages and ages ago.

I'm not terribly fond of puzzles that give you just a letter for the clue. This one came together from the fills, as it was meant to, without any help from Mr. G, but I would rather have had some type of clue beyond a letter.

The "B literally" fills are all puns. A band leader is a leader of a band but b is also the first letter in the word band (and hence comes ahead of the other letters). The British Open is a golf tournament and the open(ing) of the word British is B. A battle front is where all the action takes place in a war but b is also the first letter of the word battle (analogous to the front of a line). The only one that doesn't make sense is bobble head: yes, b is the first word of the word bobble but that doesn't make b the "head" of the word bobble.

I finished this puzzle without resorting to google, mainly because I didn't have time to google and, because I was busy doing other things, was able to look at it freshly every time I came back to it. The only words that didn't make sense to me were MANSE and OMOO. And since when do donkeys form packs? I've heard of the packs of dogs and I've heard of the "rat pack" (Sammy Davis Junior, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra starred in the original Oceans Eleven and probably some other movies together) but I've never heard of a "ass pack". Oh, wait, I think I have a DVD with that title, except it has nothing to do with animals, at least not the sort of animals implied by the clue.

Lots of very familiar words this time. I can understand how Dennis is able to breeze through these now. Except for MANSE and OMOO, all the fills made sense to me, even Ballet RUSSE, which would be French for "Russian Ballet".

c.c., I'm beginning to question your 'innocence' with American idioms, metaphors, etc. But anyway....when you're building something from instructions, part of the assembly process might be inserting 'tabs' into 'slots' to put it together. My reference was to a male's 'tab' and a female's 'slot'. If you need more, drdad will send you a picture (sorry, drdad, couldn't resist).

Oh Dennis! Stab me, kick me when I'm down! LOL. BTW - do you have acquaintances that were POW's (or were you)? MIA's? My hat's off to all of you. I think too many people forget them, perhaps not intentionally.

Good morning C.C. and all. This was a fairly easy puzzle for me today, I just needed help for omoo and manse. C.C. I love your flower pictures, I am fond of the poenies. My mother gave me a tree peony that she has had for over 50 years. I am hoping with some tlc it will grow to give many more years of enjoyment. Have a great day all.

Good morning everyone....I am leaving for Florida in a few minutes. Going to see the grandkids.I liked this puzzle today. I just had a problem with the NW corner. I don't know why, the answers were easy.Have a great weekend everyone.Gotta runnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

I also found this one easy, no g-spotting, but some different clues that I found refreshing.

c.c., your comments were a bit longer today, indicating the finger is improving--good to know! And the flowers are gorgeous.

We used to grow brussels sprouts until one year they got so many grubs in them, and I tried meticulously to get them all out so we could use them. After that (failed attempt) I could never come at them again.

Good morning, C.C. and gang. Today's pretty much filled in eventually, except 33D. I kept looking for a U of Michigan tie with other Pac Ten teams. I finally got it from here. 28D had me going for a while as I wanted Battleplans. The fills finally straightened me out. Btw, are Tolkien trees ents or ynts? To me, likely and probably aren't exactly synonymous adverbs. In speech, I might say something is likely or probable; however, in this sentence, I might say "It will likely happen" or "It will probably happen. The wording in either case works, depending on the phrasing.

Dennis,Which NBA team is named Wolverine? Thanks for the "tabs & slots", kind of like mortises & tenons, aren't they? So you want to question my 'innocence'? Prove me guilty then!

Dr. Dad,It pains me to think that you had to eat crow for breakfast. Why not worms? Just like you did last time when you could not get "DORA the Explorer". How do you normally cook your Brussels sprouts?

KittyB,If the 4 theme answers were clued as the way you wanted, then I think a BEE entree would be required at the lower right corner or the center grid as the defining fill (Dennis would like that style). However, I don't object today's "B, literally" at all. The theme is very creative and I don't believe it's ever been tried before. Pls do not stop quibbling about certain clues. I've always enjoyed reading your complaints. So is "rubato" common in many music pieces or just Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2? Is your metronome a musical instrument? Why did you put "That's all" in quotation mark at the end of your 6:36am post?

Martin,I like your pun analysis. But only the head of the bobblehead bobble, doesn't it? The flower on Hongkong's flag is a kind of orchid called 洋紫荊, I don't know how to say it in English. As to your questions last night, no, I do not eat the skin of grapes either. Interesting to read your observation on how people eat.

Mariposa,Well, you have another 50 years to take care of your PEONY tree.

Barry,Nice picture for a "How to Talk Like a Pirate Day". Is it a cartoon character? I saw ANARCHY clued as "Political state whose symbol often appears in Wite-Out" on a puzzle the other day. I cannot figure out why. Can you explain to me please?

Argyle,You are such a handsome Santa! Your picture instantly took the pain away from my index finger this morning. Magical! As for MAJORDOMO, what is "roll playing site"?

JD,Packages of dried MORELS are always placed at the same section as button mushrooms at our local Rainbow Grocery Stores. I googled and found out that the guy who invented Post-it, Spencer Silver, still works for 3M, so I guess he is not a billionaire.

Anonymous @ 10:44pm,Thank you for the DRUM last night. I am still not convinced by your MEAT ("Carnivore's choice") explanation. I still think "Carnivore's diet" is more accurate.

Brussels sprouts - usually boiled or steamed. I also do them with sauteed onions and toasted slivered almonds. The following recipe is for golden crusted brussels sprouts which I find to be probably the best but I don't do it all the time.

24 small brussels sprouts,1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing,sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper,1/4 cup grated cheese of your choiceWash brussels sprouts well. Trim stem ends and remove any raggy outer leaves. Cut in half from stem to top and rub each half with olive oil.Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Don’t overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan flat side down, sprinkle with salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they’re tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes.Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Season with more salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a dusting of grated cheese.

c.c., there is, of course, no NBA team named "Wolverines"; due to my daily loss of brain cells I had that name confused with "Timberwolves".

And I really don't need to 'prove' your DF standing; we all read your posts, which stand as proof all by themselves. Such as: "I had a frozen banana and two fresh nectarines for breakfast." Is there anyone on here that thinks that was said in all innocence? Sorry, kiddo, we've dragged you down with us.

Again a very easy puzzle. My only misstep was 'lie' for FIB, but I quickly saw my mistake with the crosses.

OMOO is a book written my Herman 'Melville'. Other novels by Melville:

Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life (1846) Omoo: A Narrative of the South Seas (1847) Mardi: And a Voyage Thither (1849) Redburn: His First Voyage (1849) White-Jacket, or The World in a Man-of-War (1850) Moby-Dick, or The Whale (1851) Pierre: or, The Ambiguities (1852) Isle of the Cross (ca. 1853, since lost)[18] Israel Potter: His Fifty Years of Exile (1856) The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade (1857) Billy Budd, Sailor (An Inside Narrative) (1924)

I am familiar with a few of these books but have read none of them. A few years ago I did read and enjoy "Ahab's Wife" by Sena Jeter Naslund. It is a wonderful historical novel.

Barb B,I checked Ted DeGrazia's painting. It brought to my mind those highly collectible native American Indian baby dolls (with no arms). But now I cannot remember the special name for those dolls, can you?

Argyle,"No Spanish, no French, no esperante...and some time i don't talk English too good.". What is "esperante"?

Bea,Where can I find "Nodak reds potato"?

Dr. Dad,Thank you for the recipe.

Dennis,I did eat one frozen banana and 2 fresh nectarines this morning for breakfast. Frozen banana, fresh nectarines, peaches, strawberries and grapes are what I always eat for breakfast in the summer time.

Is not eating the skins of fruit a "Chinese" thing? I thought it was just one of my wife's idiosyncrasies and I never thought to ask her whether it was a cultural thing. I guess I'll ask her when i see her tonight.

Glad you like my new avatar! For my online store I created a whole bunch of wacky "smiley" designs, and that one's the Pirate Smiley. My little son loves it and at an early age I could ask him what a Pirate says and he would always respond, "Arrrrrr!"

And sorry, but I haven't a clue about that that particular clue. Are you sure there's not a typo there somewhere?

c.c., No, I haven't used fingerguards before. Is that what you are using today? I hate even bandaids on my fingers, they always feel so bulky. I prefer to shield finger injuries with spray-on liquid bandage.

All right, I did a little research and discovered that teenage rebel wannabes are apparently known for using Wite-Out (or other forms of correction fluid such as Liquid Paper) to paint the anarchy symbol ("A" within a circle) onto dark clothing. See, for example, this article that states, in part:

Of course, the circle-A "Anarchy" the promoters of this motley crew are talking about is a far cry from the white-knuckle anarchy suffered by people living in countries where true social chaos is part of the political landscape. This version of every teenager's favorite ideology is more like the vague and vehement discontent often expressed in Wite-Out on the back of leather jackets.

Good Morning All, So far, this morning's comments indicate that we are starting off another interesting posting day.

About the puzzle, I usually start with the NW corner and most constructors make this fairly easy. I sometimes think it is to lull us into a false sense of security. This time I couldn't get ACME or AT BAT. That made it difficult to fill in MANSE. I did get EDD (whoopee). So I had to leave that side and go to the NE and work my way backward. It also took me a while to figure out the theme, even after I had the words filled in. After my second cup of coffee it clicked that OPEN, LEADER, FRONT and HEAD were all types of beginnings. Sigh of relief, and finally it was clear sailing.

I am a Melville fan and have read OMOO, as well as Typee, Moby Dick and Billy Budd. His descriptions of 19th century life at sea are wonderful. His other books are not so easy to come by. Our local library doesn't have them.

Speaking of sea and sailing, Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day. Here's a Gilbert and Sullivan tribute Better Far To Live And Die from "The Pirates of Penzance". Kevin Kline, at his most swashbuckling, is the Pirate King.

C.C. There have been books starting with the title “The Tao of“, for example, “The Tao of Pooh“, “The Tao of Equus” and a movie, “The Tao of Steve”. “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” is the name of a TV show on the Food Network. The host goes to simple road-side eateries, that are well known for their food, but don’t have much ambiance, and samples their specialties. After Dennis’ “eating out” comment and Drdad’s Tao description yesterday, I thought the phrase fitted in pretty well.

This morning there was a little change of seasons chill in the air. Here's a poem to remind us the autumn is just a few days away.

Autumn

Lord: it is time. The huge summer has gone by.Now overlap the sundials with your shadows,and on the meadows let the wind go free.

Command the fruits to swell on tree and vine;grant them a few more warm transparent days,urge them on to fulfillment then, and pressthe final sweetness into the heavy wine.

Whoever has no house now, will never have one.Whoever is alone will stay alone,will sit, read, write long letters through the evening,and wander along the boulevards, up and down,restlessly, while the dry leaves are blowing.

Good morning C.C. and allSounds like your finger is better. The only times that I have peeled grapes were for Halloween parties. Kids were blindfolded, and had to feel them. They screamed "EWWW"

Clear Ayes: Again, thank you for you clear explanation of the B clues.I guess I should drink a 2nd cup of coffee too.

I grew Brussel Sprouts one summer just to see what they looked like, but they were covered in aphids, so I've never tried again. Anyway, no one in my house will eat them.I am tempted by your recipe, DrDad.

Donkeys (asses, burros...whatever) are routinely used to carry camping gear into the Grand Canyon.

Summer's End

One by one the petals drop.There's nothing that can make them stop.You cannot beg a rose to stay.Why does it have to be that way?

The butterflies I used to chaseHave gone off to some other place.I don't know where. I only knowI wish they didn't have to go.

And all the shiny afternoonsSo full of birds and big balloonsAnd ice cream melting in the sunAre done. I do not want them done.

Martin, I would have never gotten the puns if you hadn't pointed them out.

dr.dad, our boat is named the "Arr!" When the tender stopped to collect my husband, the passengers would always go "Aaarrrrgh" as he boarded. My blog is named "Arrrgh!!" Unfortunately I have very little time to blog these days. Thanks for the Brussels Sprouts recipe. We'll have to try it.

Bill, that's quite a rig you have!

mariposa, I had no idea that a peony tree could live so long. Good luck with the next 50 years!

Safe travels, katherine.

Arrrrrrrrrr, Barry!

KAZIE! You've joined the DFs!

C.C....my "complaints." Ouch! Okay, okay, I know I complain. I asked Dear Husband if he thought I was a positive person, and he said, "No." I almost fell off my chair, because, while I'm not a Pollyanna, I try to be positive in outlook. He went on to say that he thinks I worry too much. (Of course I do! It's my job. Somebody has to do it.) He should be really happy that I'm not high maintenance. I'll continue to "complain" (or whine) about the clues, and if anyone complains about it, I'll tell them I have your permission. *G*

Rubato is NOT common. It takes a well-trained orchestra or band to play rubato, because they must follow the conductor's interpretation in unison to pull it off. I am not sure if "rubato" appears on the score of the Hungarian Dance #2, but the versions I prefer have been performed with rubato.

My metronome is one of those lovely antique Seth Thomas de Maelzel time-keepers in a wood case with a weighted pendulum. I know that this type of equipment is often listed with the musical instruments on eBay, but I do not consider it to be an instrument. I know that the newer version of metronomes use clicks or lights to keep time, but I don't care for them.

I had to look up "That's all!" she wrote. The punctuation is mine. It's how I've thought of it from the first time I heard the phrase. The Free Dictionary shows it as: that's all she wrote.

Are the finger guards you're talking about also known as "finger cots?" I use them when I quilt to get a better grip on my needle. I've also found them to be helpful in keeping ointment on a finger so it will heal.

C.C. your breakfast certainly has an interesting shape...sounds familiar.Frozen banana?? wouldn't that ruin the poor thing?The pictures of the 4 flowers were beautiful!

34A Froth, looks awful...what the heck IS that all over the person??? Ewwww!

1D I thought it was about a vessel too and put in "below" at first

All in all, this was a good puzzle, just hard enough to keep me interested. I did have to google 38A, could not remember her name and forgot to write it in my notebook from the last time I saw it. Hate it when I do that! 48A and 60A were left blank for quite awhile..just could not come up with anything that made sense.

Oh, forgot to say...Mia Hamm was a big name in our home, as both of my girls were avid soccer players. Mia is the age of my oldest, so I sent her that great video. She (Shelby) still plays on a few adult leagues.I never understood those T- shirt logos, "Is there life beyond soccer?" until they stopped playing and traveling here and there.I had to go back to tennis, and by then I had lost my edge.Actually, all my edges have rounded a bit.

Sallie, great postit video!I think you have the same problem I encounter every day. Where you first open up the comments, click on "sign up here", then the next step where it says "sign in first". Instead of signing in all over again, you then add your password and you're in. After that, to find your profile, you should be able to click on your user name at the top of your comment or under the comment box where it says "You're currently posting as ...

My hat is off to authors Arlen & Linda Bushman for this puzzle. I truly enjoyed the 'B, literally' cluing. I ran into a couple of tough spots but this was a pleasure to work.

I spent a lot of time on the NW before finally getting acmes/manse. I got high-centered on Eds even though I knew the correct spelling for Edd(Byrnes). I've previously equated egocentric with self-centered rather than selfish but I guess the end result is??? Self-centered = 'it's all about me' vs selfish = 'it's all mine'? I learned something new... that Brussels or Brussel Sprouts is correct either way. I thought I was one of the few Brussel Sprout fans in the world. I really like their taste but, drdad, I'll try them your way soon.

And, finally, I offer you; Avast ye bunch o' scurvy swabs! Thar be pirates ahead! Ye'll be keelhauled it ye talk like a landlubber! Hoist the mainsail! Swab the poopdeck. Arrrr! Ok, where's Jimmy Buffett when I need him... I'm outta here! I'd probably be back in the woodshed if I'd said anything about cannons, portholes or hoisting the jib.

Peel off any damaged outer layers of the sprouts. Trim the stem to make it flush. Quarter each sprout and score the stem on each quarter with an X.

Saute the prociutto in the butter over medium heat for about 2 min. Add the garlic and brussel sprouts and stir continuously for about 2 min. Add the flour and continue stirring for another 2 min. Add the cream and half & half, sherry. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat and continue simmering 7 min until the liquid is reduced by 1/3. Stir in one cup of parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Transfer to a large casserole dish add the remaining 1/2 cup of parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for about 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.

Roasted garlicone whole head of garlic1/2 tspn olive oilSnip the top of the garlic exposing each clove, brush with olive oil, wrap in foil and bake for about 45 min in 350 degree oven. Pop out the cloves in a bowl. This can be done ahead of time and will keep refrigerated for up to a week.

Sallie: I tried to watch the post-it video but could not find it. I typed in the "address" you listed, and You-Tube came up but there was just a lot of little pictures of "video's playing now" or something. I didn't get it...I have never been on You-tube before. How does one find the Post-it thingy??

Good morning all.... only a few stumbles for me, unfortunately 1A and 1D just wouldn't come to me...but after that I finished with just a few write overs....61A reminded me to get my Christmas order for a custom made bobble head for one of my brothers.... check this out for a unique gift idea for a bobble head collector....http://www.headbobble.com/...and nope, I have no relation with the company it just seems like a cool idea....

9:32 today. I spent a lot of time looking for the "theme" only to find it was just random things that started with the letter "B". Very underwhelming, but I loved Martin's explanation, which I totally missed after doing the puzzle, so perhaps it's not so mundane after all.

47a: Luau music maker (UKE) should have had some indication that it was an abbreviation. The instrument is a UKULELE.

c.c.: I have grown Brussels sprouts. They are like a lot of little cabbages that grow on a stalk. After a frost they become much sweeter, so wait until harvesting if you can. Around here they are very susceptible to cabbage borers or some other pests, so growing them organically is a challenge. Grow a "sacrificial" cabbage in another part of the garden if you don't want to spray.

Brussels sprouts are delicious simply steamed. After they are tender (make an "X" in the stem end of each sprout to make them cook better), toss them in olive oil with a bit of salt and pepper and enjoy!

Kazie: Thanks for trying to help. I no longer get "you're posting as" and when I try again, it doesn't accept my password in either upper or lower case. I can't start over because it says "Sallie" is already used. I guess I could come up with some other name, but I'd like to keep the one I have. I'd do this by email, but yours isn't in your profile.

@sallie: where it asks for your blogger id, enter your email address instead of your blogger name, and then enter your blogger password. i sometimes get an initial error message and have to enter the password a second time.

Carol,No, freezing will not hurt the nutrition of banana one whit. On the contrary, I find the freezing process enhances the flavor and texture of banana. It's great to eat with honeyed nuts on a long long hot summer's day. You really should try it. Yummy! Pineapple does not freeze well though. Mia HAMM is married to a great baseball player named Nomar Garciaparra (LA Dodgers).

Jeanne,Yes, I peel bananas before I freeze them. Hope you enjoyed your trip last week.

Carl,This is the most creative theme I've ever encountered in a TMS puzzle. Explain to me what are "cannons, portholes or hoisting the jib"?

Cokata @ 1:14pmGood to finally see you! I like your hair. You look so pretty. Why is the dish called "Screaming Heads Brussels Sprouts"? What does "flush" mean in "Trim the stem to make it flush"? Tell me what is "raise a jib". Enjoy your sailing tomorrow!

Doesitinink,I wonder why so many of Herman 'Melville' novels have a second title. What did that bearded guy say in the pirate phone talk? I could only hear "Arrrr, leave the attorney" then I could not understand what he said after that. How is "Burn after Reading"?

Barry,RE: Fruit skins: could be a cultural thing. I am curious to know your wife's view though. Thank you for the ANARCHY. I was completely unaware of that "Wite-Out".

C.C. Thanks for the frozen banana info...it really does sound good. I always thought that freezing would turn the peel black..I know when they are in too cold a place that is what happens and I have been told never put them in the refrigerator. Do they change color when unpeeled? What do you wrap them in for freezing?Also, do you really peel grapes? How in the world do you do that without cutting yourself to ribbons?? I peel most fruits, but grapes sure aren't one of them. I don't peel pears either, always liked the skin for some reason.

KittyB,Thanks for "Rubato". I am not familiar with finger cots. I don't think I have ever heard any non-constructive criticism from you. So keep whining!

Marie,Good to see you back. I hope you enjoyed your vacations.

Embien,Thank you for the flower links. I don't understand this: "The flowers are believed to be sterile and will not set seed so the plant will not drop long pods as other orchid trees do..." What does "sterile" mean here?

frozen bananas are great for morning shakes. When bananas are getting just a little too ripe(everyone seems to have their own idea about that), I peel them, break them in half and put them in a zip lock bag. It does not matter if they are ugly since they will be going into a blender.For Grandmas: My daughter freezes bananas for Truman.She bought a little mesh-like container and it's great when he's teething.

A cannon is a big gun on old ships. It probably would have equated to a phalic symbol perhaps if I had actually used it suggestively.

A porthole is the opening in the side of a ship where the cannon penetrates or protrudes depending upon which side of the bulkhead you're looking at. I suppose you could attach a sexual interpretation to that. In modern ships, it's just a window.

A jib is a device for raising a sail on a boat. Or, for the sirens, perhaps another phalic symbol....

I'm sure glad I didn't use any of those words in my pirate dialog or I'd be in trouble for baiting the sirens. Okay, I'm busted! I plead guilty to double entendre. Still in the woodshed? Or, should I go cut that switch.

First off, you'd not be catching me in a monkey suit so that tharrr picture is not of me. I merely used the good man's visage to indicate what a fine majordomo I was. I was playing the role (oops, I just realized I misspelled roll/role yesterday) of a majordomo for an online fantasy school. This particular site was called Salem School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was created by a young girl in Hawaii and lasted several years before being abandoned. I also played the part of a student and I was one of the teachers. The school had a good size enrollment for a while. It was based on Harry Potter and Hogwarts, of course.

As a student I pretended to be a house ghost, also, Duncan Campbell. I can't link my icon for Prof. Venus Monroe, so I'll use it in my next post.

Cokato, what a pretty lady you are. For some reason I thought you would be a brunette.

The Screaming Heads sounds delicious, but I don't need the extra calories. I'll have to go with Embien on brussel sprouts and steam them, then a quick roll-around in olive oil, salt and pepper (the brussel sprouts, not me).

G.A.H. and I saw "Burn After Reading" yesterday. We try not to miss any of the Coen brothers movies. It was a very funny, although dark comedy...people do get killed. Brad Pitt was particularly good, as a dim-bulb gym employee.

Marie, thanks for the bobblehead link. That is just the kind of goofy thing I like to get for my son-in-law for Christmas.

You really ought to eat the skin of grapes (after you wash them). People are told here in Taiwan (through advertising) that the skin of the grapes is where you'll find all the vitamins (so if you find a bit of grape skin in your grape juice it is actually a good thing, just like finding pulp in your orange juice).

I remember my mom used to peel apples and I would eat the skins myself rather than have her through them out and waste it. I've heard (again through advertising back in Canada) that the best part of the potato, nutrition-wise, is the skin (so if you find a bit of potato skin on a French fry or potato chip then it is actually a good thing). Potato skins taste about as badly as you'd think they'd taste though, and you can bet I'd never eat a potato skin that hadn't been washed first!

So, have you ever had marmalade (jam made from orange peel)? If not, what do you do when someone gives you a fruitcake and there's orange peel baked in?

Funny we were talking yesterday about eating habits and then today the clue for TACO is "hands on munch", eh?

kitty b: The frozen banana "holder" looks kind of like a popsickle holder, but it has a little net. It is made by Munchkin and can be found at Target where the sippy cups, baby spoons are.Hope that helps.

We also saw "Burn after Reading " today. I'm not sure I would recommend it, but Brad Pitt was so dumb that it was laugh out loud funny. George Clooney wasn't bad either; neither have ever played parts like these two. Frances Dormand ALWAYS does a terrific job.I also saw "The Women" earlier this week. I know it got bad reviews, but I always loved Meg Ryan's movies when she was in those romantic comedies. She was very much the old likable Meg in this movie ; I would not compare it at all to Sex and the City, although it didn't have much of a plot.I expected more out of Annette Bening, but she didn't write the script.

Oh, Martin, absolutely, the best part of a baked potato is the skin! I always eat the inside and then, a little touch of butter, sprinkle the crusty skin with salt and pepper and eat. Save the best for last. Then there are Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes, which are cubed, boiled and mashed with the skin still on. So good.

My mother (how could I doubt my Mom?) always told me that most of the vitamins are in the peels, so I eat most fruit, except citrus and bananas with the peel on, although, we have a Meyer lemon tree and the skin is so thin and the inside is so sweet-tart that I cut them in to sections, sprinkle them lightly with salt and eat as is.

I also use a lot of lemon and orange zest in recipes from lemon pie to orange chicken.

It's very interesting about the possible cultural differences in how and what we eat.

JD, My friends and I are thinking of a movie and lunch day next week. Thanks for the info about The Women. I'll tell them what you said.

I would recommend Burn After Reading, as long as the person has seen previous Coen brothers movies and liked them. Their movies are always a little weird and offbeat.

You're correct that a type of sail is called a Jib. But my reference(@7:29) was to the boom that runs across the bottom of that sail (although smaller boats do not have that boom). Technically, it is the Jib Boom but it's usually just shortened to 'Jib' in everyday practical usage. My first reference(@1:14) to 'hoisting the Jib' was referring to the sail. My second reference was an over simplification.

C.C. trimming the edge on the sprouts flush is to trim the bottom of the brussel sprouts so that they could stand "upright" on their own in a morel position. We DF's (you included) know how important that is. To speak in clearayes speak, to practice raising the jib, is to "try" not so "hardlY" to coax a man's....to attention. Actually, it is harder in sailing to raise that certain piece of equipment. I don't have a self furling jib for you sailors out there.Clearayes, very astute, look at the roots. I am a brunette. Look at the roots. I was going through a faze when I started going gray. Curious, what made you think I was a brunette? Curls are real though.

I really don't know why I thought you were a brunette. Probably just because statistically there are more brunettes than blondes. I think you look great as a blonde and would look just as nice with brown hair.

I can relate to gray hair. I'm older than you and I started "enhancing" about 20 years ago. My natural color was (before 40) reddish blonde and now I regularly use L'Oreal Golden Blonde (8G) ...because I'm worth it!

clearayes, I re-read my comment, look at the roots, look at the roots. I am seriouly thinking of just letting it go. You still didn't give me a real reason why you thought I was a brunette. I think you have some sort of clarity. I have been told by others that it looks frosted when not dyed. First attempt at the dying. I'd never go blonde again. Call it a mid-life crisis.

c.c., No, I don't use the spray on bandage until I have a cut in an awkward place, like a finger where I don't want a bandaid. It is made by Curad, and goes on smelling like alcohol, but dries in a thin skin-like coating that stays for a few days if you don't start peeling it off.Sorry to be posting so late, but I'm sure you check before starting the next day. Good night!

Cokato, I did choose the blog name "Clear Ayes" for a couple of reasons. Whether or not I've achieved any clarity is a matter of opinion. I am working on it though.

As to the reason I thought you were a brunette, it is probably a combination of things. Like I said, statistically there are more brunettes than blondes. Your hobby is sailing, which to me would indicate that you are too busy to spend much time on your hair when you are spending three or four days on a boat. Your posts don't seem to be written by a person who is overly concerned about their own image. You seem to be an "outreach" person. Are those logical reasons to have thought you were a brunette? Probably not, but that is all I can come up with. Post another photo when you go back to brunette. I'll be honest and tell you if I think it suits you better.

Blondes, don't get mad at me. I think blondes are just as "outreaching" as anybody else. These are just some impressions I've had about Cokato and I have been talking strictly about and to Cokato here.

Hello C.C.,I got behind on my crosswords and, while trying to catch up tonight, discovered you were looking for me a couple of weeks ago. I'm the Kit who loves David Cook, not kittyb. I'm flattered you thought I was she; I very much enjoy her comments. Sorry for the confusion. I just stopped posting because it's so late before I get a chance to check in that everything has been covered very nicely. But I'm still here. Really enjoy all the back and forth comments and love all the wonderful links you provide. You've created such a terrific site. Don't know how you keep up with everyone; your memory must be photographic. I did read today's and saw that you were looking for "buckeye." My guess is that he has no electricity. Our entire area was hit by Hurricane Ike remnants last Sunday and many are still without power. He is in Middletown, I believe, not far from me. There were two million people state-wide in Ohio without power; many still are. "Buckeye" should be back in a couple of days, hopefully. The crews are working very hard 24-hours a day to try to get everyone back on the power grid. There are many thousands of trees down, homes damaged, and several people died. We had 77mph winds across much of the state, and it lasted many hours. We are actually in a state-wide emergency for the first time since the Blizzard of 1978.

Sorry this is so long, and again, sorry for the misunderstanding. Didn't think you'd notice one person missing. I just don't have anything to add but be assured I'm still here, looking forward to a bright spot at the end of my very long day. Keep up the good work, and thanks so much for your concern. I learn so much from all of you.

I appreciated your 6:10 pm comment about this puzzle. It tells me that my earlier observation was correct. I've been xwording for many years and only came to this side recently, as you know. In the past, I faithfully went back the following day to check the accuracy of my solutions. Thanks to your efforts, that's no longer required.

Today's puzzle stroked my senses and even though it was mildly tough, I never felt any frustration at any of the clues. I'm by no means an expert at analyzing the puzzles but this one left me satisfied. Arlan and Linda Bushman have joined Barry Silk on my list of enjoyable authors.

BTW - I'm gone till the first of the week so have a nice weekend. Maybe I'll be out of the woodshed by the time I get back.

(Posting late but I seem to recall c.c. requesting posts go in the correct thread)

@c.c.:Embien,Thank you for the flower links. I don't understand this: "The flowers are believed to be sterile and will not set seed so the plant will not drop long pods as other orchid trees do..." What does "sterile" mean here?

"Sterile" means non-fertile, thus the flower will never become pollinated and make a seed pod.

For example, I have a catalpa tree in my yard. This tree, when pollinated, makes very long bean-like seed pods (see the picture in Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalpa. I think that's what they are referring to--the Hong Kong Orchid Tree must never get those beans on it.